Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has responded to the mass protest engaged by bus drivers in Portsmouth yesterday. The transport workers were protesting the two months of joblessness when the country was in total COVID-19 lockdown, considering their existing loans vis-à-vis the new $15,000 AID bank loan offered them by the government.
During the mass protest staged earlier this week, the bus drivers refused to ply the Portsmouth-Roseau road and they urged other drivers in their area to ditch their vehicles – forcing commuters to become stranded at the parks. They complained that the $15,000 AID bank loan is insufficient and not worthy of acceptance.
Although Hon. Ian Douglas met briefly with the angry bus drivers, PM Skerrit said it would be a mistake for the drivers not to take advantage of the loan facility.
“When you claim that you’re not making any money, to deny yourself making money today, is not a wise decision on the part of the bus drivers,” Skerrit said. “If you are a bus driver and you own the bus, you can get up to $15,000 at 1% interest and if you are a family, you can get the $600 per month as well for three months in the first instance.”
The prime minister noted that the loan could be used to purchase vehicle tyres, pay insurance, and even amortize existing loans. He said that bus drivers have a lot to benefit from the loan anyone could qualify for it. He emphasized that it is not for Social Security members to benefit from.
He made it clear that it is unwise for drivers to get emotional about the assistance the government is offering. He said it is better for the protesters to seek answers to what they don’t understand or even seek audience with the government instead of resorting to public disruptions.
“If the bus drivers have an alternative suggestion, I am more than willing to listen to it, he said, “but I am not going to engage in any shouting at the Borough Square. If you have a legitimate concern, put it in writing and send it to me, or ask to see me.”
This article is copyright © 2020 DOM767
